Driving through Middle Earth in the Year of Jacinda 5

On Covid, masks, pandemics and Clarke Gayford

My wife recently had an operation so she’s been in recovery mode for a few months now, this being the last week before she returns to work we decided to have a week away in Methven (it’s about 400km north of us) as they had some new hot pools there. The hot pools are fine by the way but we probably still prefer Hanmer Springs but then they’re at least another 2 hours north of Methven as well.

We’d found our favourite cafe in Methven as they wern’t too keen on silly mask rules and had a sign at the counter saying something like “RIP COVID & don’t come back”. Sorry didn’t get a photo of it.

BTW the Topp Twins cafe in Methven is underwhelming. Girls you need more than a few photos of yourselves around the cafe, for example some decent food goes far.

But anyway today we headed out of Methven and back to Dunedin. We decided to go the long way and it really was a beautiful day today 19°C (about 66/67°F) and not a cloud in the sky. First stop (other than Mayfield for gas) was Geraldine where we…